I recently became enamored with a new song. It’s a folk song. Those style of songs are the ones I have most naturally gravitated towards in the last ten years or so. When I find a new song that I like, I listen to it to absolute death.
In the newest song I like, there’s a really neat, meaningful word progression. The singer is reflecting back on his life and begins with the phrase:
“I sold all my baseball cards, to buy me some clothes, but that’s how it goes,” symbolizing that as we mature our interests change and different things matter to us for different reasons. There comes a day when we trade the things that interest a child for more practical things.
As the song progresses, he later says, “I sold all these clothes, to buy me this land.” An even more mature statement as there isn’t anything a lot more mature or serious than the purchase of land. Buying land is a very grown-up thing to do.
But then the singer shows his hand as the very next line is, “I’m sort of happy, most of the time,” revealing that in his pursuit of what he thought would make him ultimately happy, he finds himself instead only “sort of happy” and even that isn’t always, but merely “most of time.”
He continues by explaining that he now spends a lot of time riding trains. Why? He’s looking. He’s searching. He’s pursuing. Pursuing what? He concludes the progression by saying, “I sold all this land to buy me some dreams.” It’s a sad song. It’s the song of a lot of people.
People “trade up” all through their life for the next thing they thing will bring them happiness or contentment or personal fulfillment, but few find it. Why? Because, relatively speaking, few find Jesus.
Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14 in what we call “The Sermon on the Mount,”
13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
To pursue the things of this world for fulfillment, and ultimately salvation, is to be on the wide path that leads to destruction. It’s a life of chasing what you think will give you sustenance and purpose, but you’ll never find it.
But it you pursue the things not of this world, but the next, you will find true fulfillment and actual salvation. How do I get on and follow the narrow way Jesus spoke of? Commit to knowing and understanding Matthew chapters 5-7. In these chapters, Jesus provides a roadmap to the narrow path.
Don’t neglect the rest of the Bible, but if you’re looking for a starting point, there’s no better place to begin than the great sermon of the Lord Jesus.
May the progression of your life be a progression of glory to glory.
Much love!
Wes LeFlore (918) 607-8489 or huskerwes1@gmail.com
